Flattening out device for webs, such as paper webs



Feb. 21, 1967 o, KEDING T 3,305,153

FLATTENING OUT DEVICE FOR WEBS, SUCH AS PAPER WEBS Filed Feb. 16, 1965 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig/ INVENTORS OLOF' Ki O Feb. 21, 1967 o. KEDING ETAL 3,305,153

I FLATTENING OUT DEVICE FOR WEBS, SUCH AS PAPER WEBS Filed Feb. 16, 1965 3 sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1967 o. KEDING ETAL 3,305,153

FLATTENING OUT DEVICE FOR WEBS, SUCH AS PAPER WEBS 3 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Feb. 16, 1965 INVENTORS United States Patent 3,305,153 FLATTENING OUT DEVICE FOR WEBS,

SUCH AS PAPER WEBS Olof Keding, Herbert Eriksson, and Hugo Friidin,

Vasteras, Sweden, assignors to Allmanna Svenska, Elektriska Aktiebolaget, Vasteras, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Feb. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 433,142 Claims priority, application Sweden, Mar. 3, 1964, 2,563/ 64 3 Claims. (Cl. 226192) The present invention refers to a device for flattening out webs for coiling, such as paper webs, which device contains a curved flattening means.

In the coiling of different sorts of webs, such as paper webs, it is desirable to prevent the material from being coiled with folds, wrinkles or other forms of unevenness, which may be diflicult to eliminate from the Web. With constant web widths a special curved flattening out device has previously been used, which lies against the web immediately in front of the coiling means and which effects a sideways tension in the web and thereby prevents folds, etc. from remaining in the web when it is coiled. It has however been necessary to use such flattening out devices for constant web widths and it has not been possible to use the same flattening out device when transferring from one web width to another, often a reduction to half the web width or less, without in each case considerable building-up work, for example sidewise moving of the flattening out device.

The invention gives a solution to such problems, i.e. by providing a flattening out device which can be simply adjusted between different web widths. The'invention is characterised in that the flattening out device is adjustable in such a way that the angle between the chord of the contact line or surface of the device against the web and the plane and/or direction of movement of the web may be varied. By this means the contact line may be easily adjusted so that the centre of curvature is positioned over the centre line of the web or almost across the web in spite of different web widths, the flattening out device being adjustable so that undesired side movements or other inconveniences during the coiling are avoided. If it is desired to have certain side movements, the centre of curvature may be placed somewhat at the side of the central symmetrical plane of the web.

According to an embodiment of the invention the flattening out device is made as a flexible roller, a so-called expanding roller or stretching roller, with an envelope surface with a high friction coeflicient with respect to the web, which can be a paper or textile-web. Suitable material in the envelope surface can be for example rubber or plastic. The plane of curvature of the roller is in this case suitably placed completely or substantially in parallel with the web plane or, with certain bending of the web upon the flattening out device, at right angles or substantially at right angles to the bisector of the angle between the web plane before and beyond the device. One or both bearing points of the roller are made suitable displaceable, separately or round a common bearing point, so that the roller may be easily adjusted for different web widths. The adjustment can be quickly carried out by moving the chord of the contact line or surface to a position where it forms a right angle to the forward feeding direction (parallel with the generatrixes of the roller) or somewhat inclined in a similar direction if sidewise power is desired from the device. The possibility of a simple and quick method of producing flattened web rolls of varying widths by means of the invention is obvious.

In another alternative embodiment the flattening out device is made of a bent flattening slide bar with its axis curved in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the web. In that case the end points of the slide bar can be fastened at movable points and these can also easily be adjusted so that the chord of the sliding surface becomes parallel with the generatrixes of the roller of different web widths. By means of this embodiment simple and quick adjustment to correct flattening out for different web widths can also be obtained without dismantling, slide bar changing, etc.

The invention is more fully exemplified in the accompaying figures, of which FIG. 1 shows a coiling device for paper webs in paper machines. FIG. 2 shows the same device seen from the side with a flattening out device in the form of an expanding roller. FIG. 3 shows a gluing device at the roll position in connection with the coiling of paper webs in printing works. FIG. 4 shows the flattening device of FIG. 2 in longitudinal section. FIG. 5 shows the mounting of the flattening out device.

In FIG. 1 a narrow paper web 11 (unbroken lines) is shown during coiling on a roll (not shown in detail). The web is coiled by means of a roll motor 12 on a roll 13 (see also FIG. 2) and immediately in front of the roll a flattening out device in the form of an expanding roll 14 is placed (suitably on a gluing device not shown), arranged like a number of mutually turnable partial rolls. The web is bent somewhat around the flattening device, and the planes of the web as it approaches and leaves the flattening devices are referred to as the web planes. These partial rolls may be arranged like a number of layers round a flexible shaft, surrounded by an elastic tube or also metallic tubes, in their turn surrounded by elastic envelope surfaces. The roll is driven. By means of a closer or more distant positioning of the end points 15, 16 for the expanding rolls relative to each other the curvature of the rolls can be varied to the desired degree. The plane of curvature of the roll 14 is in one case (unbroken lines) arranged in a plane 39 parallel to one web plane (immediately beyond roll 13) or in a plane 40 perpendicular to the bisector 41 between the tWo web planes (see roll 14 in broken lines in FIG. 2). The bisector 41 separates the angle between the two web planes into two similar angles (V/ 2). Thus it is also sometimes possible to place the plane of curvature at a certain angle to the web plane. The chord 17 of the contact line or contact surface against the webs should be adjusted so that it lies at right angles to the forward direction of movement of the web, whereby asymmetrical angular forces in the webs with consequent faulty coiling can be avoided. From each contact point in the contact line at the side of the centre line a pulling force on the webs is produced, which has a component at right angles to the forward feeding direction so that a flattening out of folds, wrinkles or other unevennesses in the webs is produced. The forces in the webs produced by said components are quite adequate for this purpose and increased stretching can be produced by increased curving and, by placing the device 14 immediately in front of the roller 13, suitably at one or several of the arms 18 of the gluing device, it can be assured that these forces do not disappear and the flattening out device does not fail to operate, but the coiled material becomes completely smooth and suitable for further purposes, for example for printing purposes.

In FIG. 4, 31 are individual rollers mounted on a resilient steel shaft 32, bent in bow-form. The periphery is entirely covered with rubber, and FIG. 1 shows an entire roller 14, bent in bow-form, constructed as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5 is shown a roller 14 mounted in two bearings 33, 34, of well-known ball-bearing type. Here bearing 33 is mounted in a slide 35, movable along two slots 36, 37 in a base 38. In accordance with the invention, the bearing 33 may be moved in two directions (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5) in order to adjust the curvature of the roller for different paper Widths and/or positions. Bearing 34 may also naturally be movable in the same manner as bearing 33.

If instead a web with considerably greater width is to be coiled (see the dashed line 19 in FIG. 1) the flattening out device 14 is adjusted in such a way that the chord for the new contact surface is at right angles to the forward feeding direction, which would not be the case if the adjustment for the narrower web widths was maintained. The adjustment is suitably made by displacing one of the bearing points 16 of the device 14 with respect to the roll 13, but the second bearing point 15 or both the bearing points 15, 16, can also of course be displaced. The bias of the web can be adjusted by a mechanical spring arrangement or by a hydraulic servo device or in another way. To the arm or arms 18, which constitute a pendular system, which among other things supports the bearing points 15, 16 of the flattening out device positioned at 31, a suitable clamping device 21 intended to prevent rebounds or resonance oscillations in the flattening out device can also be arranged. FIG. 3 shows amongst other things the application of the flattening out device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 or according to another alternative with a flattening slide bar Le. a non: rotating device with a slide surface against the web with low friction coefficient relative to it. On one or two arms 22 of a gluing device for paper webs, actuating magnets 25, 26 are arranged for a brush 23 for pressing a new web during joining and for a knife 24 for cutting the web. On the arm 22 two support arms are placed which at their other end support the ends of a flattening slide bar 28, placed immediately in front of the roller 29 which is being coiled. The slide bar 28 is curved so that the chord for the slide surface is parallel with the web plane. The plane of curvature of the slide bar 28 is placed substantially at right angles to the web plane or at right angles to the bisector of the bending angle at the point of disconnection of the Web from the flattening out device. This direction can thus be changed considerably, for eX- ample by turning an arm 30 connected with the flattening slide bar 28. The flattening out effect is produced at this flattening strip in a way equivalent to that of the device according to FIGS. 1 and 2, and it is in the case shown in FIG. 3, greatest at small roll diameter, after which it successively decreases when the diameter increases at the same time as the need for flattening decreases. During roll changing gluing and cutting is obtained by the actuation of the magnets 25 and 26, which have come from another roller, not shown in the figure.

The planes given and also the radii of curvature may be adjusted in different ways and their angles may be varied relative to the web plane in different ways in different applications of the invention.

The adjustment of the bearing point of the roller 14 and the slide bar 28 respectively can be done manually, for example by any suitable screw or slot 'device, or it can also be done by machine, for example by pressure button operated motors, by means of which the bearing or fastening points may be moved. If a certain angular force is desired, the flattening out device may also be tilted somewhat, for example for counteracting a certain uneven pulling in the incoming Web.

With an expanding roll as well as with a flattening slide bar one or both of the bearing points (fastening points) can be adjusted, either at these points or around an intermediate central turning point. The device can also for the rest be varied in many ways within the scope of the claims shown below.

We claim:

1. Device for flattening out webs for coiling, comprising means for feeding the web in a path, a curved elongated flattening member engaging said web at a point in said path, said web bending around the flattening member, the web lying in web planes on either side of the flattening member, holding devices for said flattening member on both sides of the web, and means mounting at least one of said devices for adjustment along the web path independently of the other device in order to adjust the angle between the chord of the line of contact between the member and the web and the direction of movement of the contacted web.

2. Device for flattening out webs for coiling, comprising means for feeding the web in a path, a curved elongated flattening member in the form of a bendable roll with an envelope surface having a high coefficient of friction with respect to the web engaging said web at a point in said path, said web bending around theflattening member, the web lying in web planes on either side of the flattening member, two bearings mounting said bendable roll, one being positioned on either side of the web, means mounting at least one of said bearings for adjustment along the web path independently of the other bearing in order to adjust the angle between the chord of the line of contact between the flattening member and the web and the direction of movement of the contacted web.

3. Device for flattening out webs for coiling, comprising means for feeding the web in a path, a curved elongated flattening member in the form of a bendable roll with an envelope surface having a high coeflicient of friction with respect to the web engaging said web at a point in said path, said web bending around the flattening memher, the web lying in web planes on either side of the flattening member, a frame turnable around a separate turning point mounting said bendable roll for oscillatory movement around said point in order to adjust the angle between the chord of the line of contact between the flattening member and the web and the direction of movement of the contacted web.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 731,745 6/1903 Birch 2663 829,805 8/1906 Sackville 2663 2,560,039 7/1951 Harlow 226-194 X 2,637,891 5/1953 Sperry 2663 2,689,392 9/1954 Robertson 226 X 3,171,579 3/1965 Robertson 226-23 M. HENSON WOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

I. N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner, 

1. DEVICE FOR FLATTENING OUT WEBS FOR COILING, COMPRISING MEANS FOR FEEDING THE WEB IN A PATH, A CURVED ELONGATED FLATTENING MEMBER ENGAGING SAID WEB AT A POINT IN SAID PATH, SAID WEB BENDING AROUND THE FLATTENING MEMBER, THE WEB LYING IN WEB PLANES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FLATTENING MEMBER, HOLDING DEVICES FOR SAID FLATTENING MEMBER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WEB, AND MEANS MOUNTING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DEVICES FOR ADJUSTMENT ALONG THE WEB PATH INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER DEVICE IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE CHORD OF THE LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE MEMBER AND THE WEB AND THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE CONTACTED WEB. 